Coyotes Sneak By Panthers

     The Florida Panthers returned home following their longest road trip in the last two months and lost to the Arizona Coyotes 5-2 at BB&T Center on Tuesday night. It was the first home game for the Panthers this decade.
     After a scoreless first period, both clubs combined for five goals during the second frame. Arizona(25-16-4) scored on their first power-play opportunity at 10:20 of the second period. Phil Kessel passed from the left wing to Oliver Ekman-Larsson at the top of the zone. He sent the puck to Taylor Hall in the right circle and he blasted a slap shot that was deflected by Christian Dvorak in the crease area past Chris Driedger for his 11th goal of the season. Hall extended his assist and point streak to three games.
     Florida(22-16-5) was able to tie the game 1-1 just over a minute later at the 11:21 mark. Vincent Trocheck pushed the puck back from the left wing.  Keith Yandle took a slap shot from the left point that was redirected in by Noel Acciari in the low slot for his 15th tally.
     The Panthers took their lead of the contest 36 seconds later to make it 2-1. Riley Stillman connected a lead pass from his own zone to Mike Hoffman in the neutral zone. He skated it to the left circle and scored on a wrist shot by Adin Hill for his 15th goal of the campaign and increased his point streak to four games.
     The Coyotes evened it up with 6:27 left in the second. Phil Kessel angled a pass ahead to Derek Stepan in the high slot. He squared a pass to his left and Ekman-Larssson put in a snap shot.
     The Yotes again scored on the man advantage with 4:21 remaining in the period. Ekman-Larsson handed the puck to Kessel and he sent it from the top of the zone to Hall in the top right circle. He waited and then snapped a rising shot for his ninth goal.
     Arizona made it 4-2 with 1:59 left in the third period. Former Panther Jason Demers brought the puck back to his own right corner and lifted a high long pass to Carl Soderberg at the Panthers blue line for a breakaway. He skated through the slot, into the crease and scored on a backhand shot. The Coyotes added an empty-net goal with 47.8 seconds remaining by former Panther Lawson Crouse.